Daddy Don't Die
by fstigtmsb
Summary: Danny is involved in a drunk driving accident.
1. Chapter 1

All three Tanner girls were grown and living on their own. DJ had married Steve and lived in Sacramento and had three children named Pamela, Danielle and Ryan. Stephanie had gone to college down in L.A. and married a guy there named Patrick and had two children named Matthew and Michael. And Michelle had had a falling out with Danny when she was seventeen and moved out to live with her boyfriend Kyle. After high school graduation they moved to New York City and got married. They had twins named Claire and Alison.

Joey had fallen in love with a girl named Nancy and gotten married and had a child named Peter. They still lived in the San Francisco area. Jesse and Becky were still married, Alex and Nikki were grown and gone and so was their daughter Megan. They also still lived in the San Francisco area.

Danny now lived in the house that they all had once lived in, alone. Joey and Jesse still came by every now and then and they were still close which Danny was grateful for. DJ and Stephanie called a couple times a month, but didn't really visit that often, and he didn't really know how Michelle was. Everyone else told him what they knew sometimes, but they knew talking about her hurt Danny and it was hard for him.

Michelle was in her New York apartment when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller it was her sister DJ. "Hey Deej, what's up?" Michelle could hear what sounded like crying on the other end. "DJ, what is wrong?"

"Michelle, I know that you don't want to talk to dad, or even hear about him. But you need to come home. Dad's in the hospital." DJ said softly.

Michelle felt the color on her face start to drain. She hadn't talked to her father in years and normally he was the last thing she wanted to hear about or talk about. But she didn't wish him ill or anything bad to happen to him. Though she had told him when she left she hated him, the truth was she really didn't. She had recently even thought about going out to see him. He had yet to meet her girls.

"Why? What happened?" Michelle finally got out.

"He was hit by a drunk driver last night. Doctors have said that everyone should be prepared to say goodbye. It's bad Michelle."

Michelle had no memory of her mother, but she knew that she had been killed by a drunk driver when Michelle was a baby. This had to be a nightmare repeated for her sisters.

Michelle made no hesitation when she told DJ she would get there as soon as she could. After hanging up she called Kyle and told her what DJ had relayed to her. Kyle agreed that she and their girls needed to go out to California as soon as possible. He had a couple things to tie up at work but would be out as soon as he was done.

That night Michelle took her four year old daughters and caught a redeye to San Francisco. DJ picked her up from the airport. They cried when they saw each other. "How's dad?" Michelle asked.

"No change. He's in a coma, and on life support. Stephanie arrive a couple hours ago, we'll meet her at the hospital. Do you want to stop at the house first?"

Michelle shook her head. "I want to see dad."

DJ smiled and nodded.


	2. Chapter 2

When Michelle and DJ got the hospital DJ told her that she would stay in the waiting room with the twins while Michelle went in to see dad. Michelle agreed, though she didn't know how she really felt about going in to see Danny alone.

When she entered she was greeted by Stephanie and uncle Jesse. "Michelle, it's so good to see you again, it's been a long time." Jesse said.

"It has uncle Jesse. Good to see you too. Hi Steph."

Stephanie didn't say anything she just went to Michelle and gave her a long hug. "I'm so glad you came." She whispered through her tears.

"Me too." Michelle said quietly. "How is he?"

"He's non-responsive. The doctors want us to decide by tomorrow to whiter or not we want to take him off life support." Stephanie said.

"Won't he die if we do?" Michelle asked.

Jesse looked at her so sadly. "Sweetie, Danny is pretty much already gone. There's not likely a chance that he'll live, or even if he does that he'll wake up. He'd just be a vegetable." Uncle Jesse said.

Michelle went over to the bed that Danny was in. "He looks like he's just sleeping." She said softly.

Uncle Jesse put his hand on her shoulder giving it a light squeeze. "Come on Steph, let's give Michelle a little alone time."

"Okay. Again Michelle, thanks for coming. It means a lot to us, it would mean a lot to dad too." She said with tears running down her face.

After they left it was just Michelle and Danny alone. It was the first time she had seen him since she moved out. As she looked at him all she thought was how stupid she had been to let the rift go on for so long. How stupid and unforgiving she had been. Danny had a few times tried to reach out to her and Kyle had encouraged her to make mends with Danny. But she never did.

Michelle sat next to the bed and just stared to her father. She reached up and took his hand. "Hi daddy. It's me, Michelle. I'm here. I brought Claire and Ali to see you. They are with the others in the waiting room. Oh daddy!" Michelle said now unable to hold back her tears.

"Dad, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Daddy don't die. You can't die. I need you to wake up. Please wake up. I love you daddy. Do you hear me? I love you." Michelle let her head fall to the side of the bed and just sobbed.

A few moments later a nurse came in to check on Danny. She saw Michelle but didn't recognize her. "I'm sorry, only family is allowed in here." She said.

Michelle picked up her head. "I'm his daughter."

The nurse looked confused.

"I'm Michelle Nichols. I'm his youngest."

"Oh I'm sorry. I thought he just had the two in the waiting room."

"It's okay. I haven't seen my father for several years."

"Oh so you're the one in New York?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Breeia Fisher. I met your father a couple months ago."

"He never mentioned me?"

"He said he had family in New York but hadn't seen them in a long time. He seemed really depressed when he mentioned it so I didn't push."

"How do you know him?"

"We met at a coffee shop. I haven't really seen or talked to him since. But I'm sure it would mean a lot to him to know you're here."

"He doesn't know. He's in a coma."

"He's not brain dead, he can still hear you and feel you. Don't give up on him yet." She said with a smile.

Michelle went out to the waiting room where DJ said that they were headed out for something to eat and talk about what to do. Michelle agreed to come along.

At the restaurant DJ and Stephanie said that it would be best to pull the plug on Danny. Jesse and Joey who were also there agreed.

"Look, I know that I haven't seen dad in a long time, but don't I have a say so?" Michelle said a little irritated.

"Yes Michelle you do. But the doctors say…" DJ started.

"Doctors don't know everything."

"No Michelle they don't. but like you said you've been gone a long time." Stephanie said.

"All I know is dad never gave up on me, on any of us. Why are we giving up on him?" Michelle said.

"Michelle, we're not giving up on your father. We're letting him go." Joey said.

"You guys have all these great and wonderful memories of dad in the last few years, and of him as a grandfather. And I know that I don't because I refused to change. And that is my fault. Dad came out to New York last year, you all know that?"

They all nodded, and they told her that Danny said he didn't see her.

"No, but he did see Kyle. Kyle told me that dad has no hard feelings towards me or Kyle. He told me that dad said that he's happy that Kyle and I are still together and happy and he hoped one day to meet Claire and Ali. Dad even left a note he'd written to me with Kyle. I brought it with me. It's here in my purse."

Michelle pulled it out and handed it to DJ were DJ read it.

_Michelle,_

_It's been a long time that I don't really even know how to start this. I guess I will just tell you that I love you. I hope one day you can forgive me. As for me I forgave you the moment you walked out the door and didn't come back. But I haven't come after you cause I realize you need your own space and time. Even if you _never forgive me and I never see you again, just know that I have always loved you and I always will. _I'm so happy that things have turned out well for you and hope they continue to do so. Well I guess I'll keep this short. You've had enough long father/daughter talks in your life. I love you sweetie._

_Daddy_

"See I can't give up on him yet." Michelle cried. "Please, don't pull the plug yet."


	3. Chapter 3

Michelle's daughter Ali came over and climbed onto her lap and put her arms around her neck. Michelle hugged her tightly and just let her tears fall onto her daughter.

That night Michelle was once again at the hospital. She left the girls with DJ and went alone. She was sitting next to Danny when Kyle came in.

"Hey honey. How is he doing?" Kyle said quietly.

"No change. When did you get here?" Michelle asked.

"Just came over from the airport. How are you doing?"

"That's my dad in that bed Kyle, how do you think I'm doing?"

Kyle gave her a hug. "I'm sorry I can't be more help. I'm not sure what to do."

"My sisters want to pull the plug. But I can't. I want him to know I forgive him. I need him to know I forgive him. He can't die without knowing that I love him."

"Michelle, maybe your sisters are right to pull the plug. He's their father too. They have been more involved in his life that you have in the last several years. They might know what he would want."

"Now you're against me too!"

"No one is against you Michelle. We're just trying to think of your dad, what he would want. I know this is hard for you."

"I can't let him go, Kyle. I don't want to."

He gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I know."

Kyle sat with Michelle for a little while, but then left to go rest. Michelle didn't want to leave Danny's side.

That night Michelle slept by Danny's side. While she slept she relived her last moments before leaving home.

"_I think that you are too young to know what love is." Danny calmly said._

"_I think you're too old to remember what love is. I know that Kyle loves me and I love him. I'm 18. I don't need your permission to leave home. I'm going and there is nothing you can say to stop me." Michelle said angrily._

"_I think you should wait until you have at least graduated. I'm still your father and I'm telling you that you can't live with your boyfriend."_

"_I don't have to listen to you."_

"_As long as you live under my roof you do."_

"_I'm leaving. I don't want to live under this prison anymore. I can't stand it. It's hell and I hate it. I hate you!" Michelle said and then stormed out before Danny could say anything._

Michelle woke up and looked at the clock on the her phone it was three in the morning. She hated the dream she just had and she really didn't want that to be the last memory of her father.


	4. Chapter 4

Michelle went to stand up to go get a cup of coffee. She took Danny's hand and gave it a little squeeze. Just as she went to let it go she felt a squeeze back.

Michelle's heart jumped into her throat and she froze. "Daddy? Are you still there daddy? Squeeze my hand again. Please daddy?"

But Danny didn't. Michelle wanted a few moments later but nothing happened so she left. She went out to the hall and called Kyle. "Hello?" He tiredly said.

"Dad squeezed my hand." Michelle said.

"What?"

"I was holding his hand and he squeezed it. Kyle he squeezed it. He's still in there. He's still here." Michelle said starting to cry.

The next morning Michelle talked to a doctor and told him that Danny had squeezed her hand. He told her that sometimes people do that while in a coma, but that doesn't mean that they're waking up and still there.

DJ and Stephanie shortly came to visit. "Michelle were you here all night?" DJ asked.

"Yeah."

"Go home and rest. We'll let dad know you were here." Stephanie said.

Michelle shook her head. "I can't."

"We've decided not to pull the plug yet. Go home and at least shower." DJ said with a smile.

Michelle agreed that she could use a shower. She just prayed that nothing serious would happen without her there. No matter what the doctor had told her, Danny had squeezed her hand. She felt it. She knew it and she believed it was a sign he would be okay.

When Michelle came back to the hospital DJ and Stephanie were in tears. "What's going on?" Michelle asked.

Neither of them said anything right away. "It's dad…" DJ finally said.

Michelle didn't stick around the hear anything more and she rushed to Danny's room. She opened the door and she saw Danny sitting up and turned his head to see her. She rushed over to his side and swung her arms around her. "Daddy!" She said crying.

Danny put his arms around her and closed his eyes. "Michelle." He said softly.

Michelle pulled back a little. "Daddy, you have no idea how happy I am to see you awake. I was so scared I was going to lose you."

"Michelle, it's so good to see you. It's been a long time."

Michelle nodded tears still in her eyes. "Too long. I'm so sorry dad. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I didn't reach out to you sooner. It's my fault and if you had died I would have never been able to forgive myself."

Danny took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Sweetie, there is nothing you would have to feel guilty about. I'm going to be okay. I'm just so glad to see you. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too daddy. I love you daddy."

Danny let out a soft sigh and smiled. "I love you too." He said quietly. Michelle leaned into him again and he gave her a kiss on top of her head.

Michelle and Kyle stayed until Danny was given the okay to go home. Kyle then had to return to New York. Michelle stayed a couple days longer. She enjoyed seeing Danny with her children. It brought back so many memories she had of him when she was a little girl. She didn't want to return yet.

Danny resured her that he was fine many times before she left to go back home. "I hope we can stay in touch." He said as he was dropping her off at the airport.

"You can count on it." She said and smiled. "Okay girls say bye to your grandpa."

Danny gave Claire and Ali a hug and kiss goodbye. He then gave a hug and kiss to Michelle. "Thanks for coming."

"I love you dad."

"I love you too."

Michelle was sad to leave but glad to be back home with Kyle. And she kept her promise and kept in touch with Danny. Even that Thanksgiving Danny came out to New York to spend it with Michelle and her family. And for Christmas they surprised Danny by coming to San Francisco.

Michelle and Danny had each other back and they were as close as ever as father and daughter as they had ever been. And they remained that way until Danny died of old age many years later.

End


End file.
